Clothes pounder



E. EBERHARD CLOTHES POUNDER Dec. 24, 1935.

Filed NOV. 2l, 1934 Patented Dec. 24, 1935 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application November 21, 1934, Serial No. 754,154 In Switzerland November 28, 1933 2 Claims.

The invention relates to a new and improved clothes pounder. The main object of the invention is to provide a simple and unexpensive device by means of which the water, soap suds, lye

or liquor in a washing tub may be thoroughly circulated and the dirt from the clothes quickly and easily eliminated,

A further object of the invention consists in the provision of means to create alternately a pounding action upon the clothes and a suction action thereon in order that air may be forced into and through the clothes and the liquor may be sucked therethrough.

I attain these and other objects by a cupshaped plunger having at least one disk-valve operated by a bell-like body for controlling the inlet of the air and the suction of the water through the clothes while working the clothes pounder up and down, ensuring thereby a constant and active circulation of the water through the clothes.

In the accompanying drawing two preferred modes of construction are shown by way of examples. In the drawing:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a clothes pounder,

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the pounder,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional Aelevation of the pounder,

Fig. 4 illustrates a modified construction of the pounder in a vertical longitudinal sectional view.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, I designates a rod or stem which may consist of one or of several parts removably interconnected. To the rod I a funnel shaped plunger 2 of sheet metal is attached. In the plunger 2 a horizontal shelf or partition wall 3 protruding inwardly is fixed, the said wall 3 having a-circular central opening. A circular groove is provided in the wall 3 in which a ring of rubber or the like is arranged. On the ring 4 rests a bellshaped body 6 by means of a horizontal flange 5. A coiled spring 9 placed above body 6 within the funnel 3 tends to press the body 6 against the ring 4; the parts 4, 5 and 6 forming a diskvalve. The lower edge 'I of the body 6 projects below the lower edge 8 of the plunger 2. In the body 6 a perforated plate I Il is xed. The plunger 2 is provided with a row of holes II, arranged above the partition wall 3 and the body 6 with several rows of holes I2 below the plate IIJ.

In use the clothes-pounder is moved up and down in a wash tub containing clothes and soapsuds. By driving it downwards on to the clothes the bellshaped body 6 striking against the clothes is moved upwards against the action of spring 9. The air within the body 6 is forced out by the inflowing water, the air escapes by the holes I I and I2, and passes into the water and into and through the clothes. The valve 4, 5 is open, water enters the plunger 2 and fills the same at least partly. The water escapes through the holes Il.

If now the clothes pounder is lifted, the valve 4, 5 5 is closed by the action of the spring 9. A sucking and pulling action is now exerted by the rising clothes pounder, the clothes are partly lifted, water passes through the clothes, a constant and active circulation of the hot suds is 10 ensured.

The clothes-pounder shown in Fig. 4 differs from that described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3, in that the perforated partition wall I0 is arranged below the row of holes I2 in the bell 6. 15 The holes l5 of plate I0 are closed by a plate I4 resting loosely on the plate Iii.

The action of this device is very similar to that described above. The air within the bell 6 is put under considerable pressure While the clothes- 20 pounder is Idriven on the clothes and is forced under pressure through the clothes.

I wish it clearly understood that I do not limit my invention to the particular device as shown and described but what I wish to secure by U. S. 20 Letters Patent is l. In a clothes pounder, a hollow plunger, a horizontal shelf extending inwardly from the plunger wall and formed with a central opening, said plunger having openings above said shelf, 35 a movably mounted bell having a part thereof projecting through said opening and having an exterior horizontal flange adapted to rest on said shelf and having its lower edge normally projecting bel-ow the edge of said plunger, means urging 39 said ange against said shelf, said bell having openings which communicate'with the openings in the plunger when the flange is moved away from the shelf, and means for operating said plunger and bell. 35

2. In a clothes pounder, a hollow plunger, a horizontal shelf extending inwardly from the plunger wall and formed with a central opening, said plunger having openings above said shelf, a movably mounted bell having apart thereof pro- 40 jecting through said opening and having an eX- terior horizontal ange adapted to rest on said shelf and having its lower edge normally projecting below the edge of said plunger, means urging said flange against said shelf, a sealing means between the shelf of the plunger and the flange of the bell, said bell having openings which communicate with the openings in the plunger when the liange is moved away from the shelf, and means for operating said plunger and bell.

ERNST EBERHARD. 

